Regina Rathnau |
President |
Michele Hendrickson |
1st Vice President |
Steve Rakowski |
2nd Vice President |
Kristen Kozlowski |
3rd Vice President |
Alexander Z. Fiedotjew |
Treasurer |
Michael J. Zink |
Secretary |
Matthew A. Sidor |
Historian |
Officer Biographies
REGINA RATHNAU, President
Regina Rathnau has fifteen years in the tax field working in both Big Four public accounting firms and estate planning law firms among others. Her public accounting experience has provided her with an in-depth knowledge of tax accounting methods, corporate taxation, tax compliance, as well as IRS defense work. Her law firm experience includes drafting estate plans, preparing income tax returns for estates, trusts, corporations, partnerships and individuals, and administering decedent estates. She has also performed residential real estate closings, including short sales.
Regina is a licensed certified public accountant in Illinois and earned her accountancy degree from the University of Notre Dame. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Regina earned her law degree at Loyola University Chicago - School of Law with a certificate in taxation. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association.
Other areas of involvement include serving as the 2012-2013 President of the Advocates Society, the association of Polish attorneys, and volunteering during tax season with the volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) program in Chicago to help low income people obtain maximized tax refunds. Regina has also volunteered through the Chicago Bar Association for the "Wills for Heroes" Project, which prepares wills for Chicago's police and fire department officers. She has been on her condominium board as Treasurer and
involved in several other civic and professional organizations.
Regina's publications include the following:
"College Prep: What Every Consumer Should Know About Education Expenses and the Economic Growth & Tax Relief Act of 2001" in December 2001, Loyola Consumer Law Review "Overview of Section 199 & Notice 2005-14" in June 2005, Tax Adviser. (co-authored with Paul Gibbs, CPA) "UNICAP Errors, Omissions and Opportunities: TAM 200607021" in June 2006, Tax Adviser. (co-authored with Paul Gibbs, CPA)
Ms. Rathnau also has a webinar regarding nonprofit formation, which can be found at
www.mentorcle.com .
MICHELE STACK HENDRICKSON, First Vice President
Michele Stack Hendrickson is a third generation Polish American who has been an Advocate member for over 20 years. She received her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School. Michele is also a graduate of Southern Illinois University where in 1996 she was honored with an S.I.U. Alumni Achievement Award. She is also a recipient of the 2009 Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Distinguished Service Award. She is employed with the Cook County Public Defenders Office as a Felony Assistant in the Legal Resource Division working on Post Conviction and Appellate matters. Michele is also an Adjunct Professor with Kaplan University instructing undergraduate criminal justice majors in criminal procedure. She is a member of the Illinois Public Defender Association. In her free time, Michele volunteers at the Amicus Poloniae Legal Clinic and for various school and community related organizations.
ALEXANDER Z. FIEDOTJEW, Second Vice President
Alex Fiedotjew is a sole practitioner dedicated to assisting individuals in protecting their legal rights and resolving their legal disputes. His late father was a Polish Army officer who, after World War II, created and administered schools for Polish children displaced in Germany. His mother, who still resides in the northwest suburbs, was a college student and teacher in one of those schools. Both came to the United States in 1950, married, and worked hard to secure a better life for themselves, Alex, and his sister. By their example and spirit, they left Alex with a deep sense of respect for the hopes and struggles of others, and a commitment to engagement and service. Alex received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master's degree from DePaul University. For 26 years, he worked for the Illinois Department of Human Rights, investigating employment discrimination cases and serving, as head of the public contract compliance division. While employed at IDHR, Alex attended the John Marshall Law School, receiving his J.D. degree in 2001. That same year, he was admitted to the bar of Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Leaving state service in early 2003, he opened his private practice where he concentrates on employment related problems and general legal matters. Alex is co-chair of the Amicus Poloniae legal clinic serving Chicago's indigent Polish community. He is a current member of the CBA, the ISBA, the ACLU, and the National Employment Lawyers Association. Very devoted to classical instrumental and vocal music, Alex has sung with the Grant Park Symphony Chorus and can be found attempting to play several musical instruments.
KRISTEN M. KOZLOWSKI, Third Vice President
Kristen M. Kozlowski received her JD from the John Marshall Law School and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2004. She received her undergraduate degree in history from St. Mary's University of Minnesota in only 3 1/2 years of study while playing two varsity sports. The daughter of retired Chicago Police Officer Casimer Kozlowski, Kristen is the General Counsel for the Polish AMerican Police Association (P.A.P.A.) and works within the community for many non-profit organizations. Kristen legal experience is in litigation for both plaintiff and defense and brought her to work for various entities like the Chicago Police Department and Liberty Mutual Insurance. This year, 2012, will be the inaugural year for Kristen's law firm, The Law Offices of Kristen M. Kozlowski, specializing in workers compensation, personal injury and general litigation. Kristen's practice specializes in workers compensation claims by women and she is one of the few law offices owned by a woman that practices workers' compensation in the Chicago land area.
L. STEVEN RAKOWSKI, Treasurer
Mr. Rakowski represents clients in family law matters, commercial litigation matters and mergers and acquisitions. Moreover, Mr. Rakowski also represents clients in collaborative law proceedings.
Mr. Rakowski holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from University of Illinois and a Juris Doctorate degree from John Marshall Law School. While at John Marshall Law School Mr. Rakowski was a member of the Moot Court and Phi Kappa Alpha Legal Fraternity. In addition, Mr. Rakowski is certified as a collaborative law practitioner.
In addition to the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association Mr. Rakowski is also a member of the Lake County Bar Association, Advocates Society (Polish American Bar Association) and the Collaborative Law Institute.
In November 2008 Mr. Rakowski was awarded the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundations' 2008 Service Award.
MICHAEL J. ZINK, Secretary
Michael J. Zink is an Associate at the Law Offices of Starr & Rowells, a general practice civil litigation firm in Chicago. Michael is a graduate of the DePaul University College of Law and previously earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an Edmund James Scholar. He is a two-time elected member of the Assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association and is Secretary of the ISBA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section. Michael currently represents 11 parishes in the Chicago Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the lay group which reports to and from Francis Cardinal George. He has authored multiple published legal articles, has presented material for CLE credit, and has participated in attorney panels televised on Chicago's local cable access channel. In 2008 he served on the Housing Policy Committee for the Presidential campaign of President Barack Obama. Michael's grandfather, the late Le Roy A. Mikolajczak, was a member of the Advocates Society.
MATTHEW A. SIDOR, Historian
Matthew A. Sidor is the owner and proprietor of Matthew A. Sidor, Attorney at Law, based at 55 West Monroe, Chicago. For almost a decade, Mr. Sidor has provided sophisticated and comprehensive representation in general business, transactional, civil litigation, and commercial and residential real estate law. Mr. Sidor routinely appears in the various Circuit Courts located throughout the Chicago-land area as well as the Northern District of Illinois, and before the Internal Revenue Service, the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and other similar administrative agencies. At Chicago-Kent College of Law (graduate, 2002), he received numerous accolades including multiple scholarships, appearances on the Dean's List for top GPA, and receipt of a "CALI" for top grade in Negotiations. Mr. Sidor's grandmother, the late Victoria Dworak Sidor (1906-1991), was a past President of the Polish Sea League, Chicago. For more information on Mr. Sidor's practice, visit www.SidorLaw.com.
